Rolling mill



- mmm C. J. GIBBONS Aug. 5, 1930.

ROLLING MILL Filed Aug. 3, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 C. J. GIEBONS mg., 5, w3@

ROLLING MILL 5* Sheets-Shee' 3 Filed Aug. 5, 1927 NN NNUU! Patented Aug. 5, 1930 PATENT OFFICE CHARLES J. GIBBONS, F`BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT ROLLING MILL Application led August 3, 1927. Serial No. 210,317.

This invention relates to rolling mills and particularly to mills of the type whlchare known as four-high mills, that-is employ two working rol'ls of relatively small diameter and backed or supported by'two backing rolls of relatively large diameter to take the strain from the smaller rolls. -have beenr found to'be very efficient and capa- Y ble of making large reductions with relatively V small expenditure of power, as we ll as uniormly rolling metal to avery thin gauge. Difficulty has been encountered with these rolls, however, in taking upt the end thrust and preventing tendency of the small working rolls to shift longitudlnally, because. as the necks are necessarily of relatively small diameter as the rolls are small there is not sutlicient room within the housing to mount bearings which can properly absorb these end thrust forces and prevent the roll shift.-

It is, therefore, an obj'ectl of -my invention to provide means for eifectlvely taking care of these en d thrust forces and preventing longitudinal shifting of the rolls.-

Itis also an objectof the inventionto provide an improved means for adjustlng the drive for these rolls so that it may be placed in proper alignment with them as the rolls are shifted for diierent gauges of metal, or where their centers are changed due to the 4use of different diameters ofv rolls.

'f n With the foregoingv andother objects in view, I have devised the construction illusf trated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification. In these drawings, .y i

Fig. 1 isa frontvelevatlon o f a rolling mill involving my invention, a portion of the housing being broken away to illustrate the means for mounting the rolls, and a portlon of the drive for one of the work rolls being shown in section.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation o f'a portion ofthe construction. y

Fig. 3 is a vertical detail section of the adj ustable mounting for the main drive gear for each work roll.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the two work Rolls of this type' drive broken away to more clearly show the rolls and their mountings with part of the driving mechanism in-section, and showing in detailv my improved means for preventing the rolls shifting endwise. Y

Fig. 5 is a. detail section of one of the bearings taken at right angles to the plane of i Fig. 4, the section being substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 6 is a vertical detail section substantially on line 6'-6 of Fig.' 4. j

The roll structure comprises a base or bed 10 on which the housings 11 yare mounted., These housings have the usual upright slots or openings 12in them for the bearings for the' rolls and also for insertionand removal of the relatively small work. rolls. In the present arrangement 13 are' the relatively small work rolls `located one aboye the other and each is backed up by a relatively large` backing roll 14; Thesebacking rolls engage 70 the work rolls and are of the required great strength to prevent undue iiexing of the work rolls under the high` pressure required in rolling operations. These rolls have suitable necks 15 at their opposite ends running in .75 suitable bearing boxes 16 mounted inl the housings and which boxes for the upper rolls are movable vertically for adjustment of this roll as required for different thicknesses of metal and for different diameters ofwork- ,ing rolls. This roll may be adjustablein the usual manner by adjusting. screws 17 carried at the top of the housings and carrying the usual 'yoke 18 connected by supporting rods 19 to the lower section 20 of the boxes for purposes of adjusting the roll.

The work rolls' 13-ae of relatively small y diameter, in practice ranging from one inch: and a quarter to four inches in diameter, andV it will, therefore, be seen that the necks 21:'a'nd 22 forming the bearings for theserolls are relatively close together and there is not-a 4great deal of space available for bearings of.

the usual type which will properly absorb the end thrust of these rolls. `v I have overcome this difficulty b the construction shown more in detail inigs.`v 4 to 6. I mount on opposite `sidesof the opening or slot 12 in each housing upright bearingA blocks or gibs 23 'which are permanently se- 100 .vertically slidable bearings 26 and 27 which are usually made of brass or bronze. These bearings for. the longer neck 21 or the neck at the driving end of the roll have laterally .or radially extending flanges 28 engaging the outer edge of the bearing blocks 23, as shown particularly in Fig. 5, so as to form sufficient support for the bearing totake up any end thrust on these bearings tending to force them inwardly toward the roll. Between these bearings and the face of the blocks 23 are steel wear or shim plates 29 which are secured tothe bearing blocks 26 by suitable screws 30. As the blocks or gibs 23 wear or the bearings wear on the concave side next to the roll neck, this wear may be takenup by removing the old plates .and substituting new plates of a greater thickness to correspond with the amount of wear. The shorter bearings 27 have similar wear plates 31, and if desired there maybe a short end plate 32 at the short end of the roll fastened to the upright blocks 23 to prevent the bearings 27 moving longitudinally.

Outside' the ends of the bearings 26 the neck of the rollis provided with a flange or Y rib 33 forming a shoulder 34 against which a shoulder formed on a collar 35 abuts, it being preferred to counterbore this collar, as shown in Fig. 4, to receive this flange. Thus the inner flat surface of this collar rests against and has a bearing on the outer ends ofthe bearings 26 and flanges 28. Outside this collar the roll neck is provided with a groove 36 in which is seated a ring 37 which is made in two Asections so that they may be easily applied to the neck, and the sections are held in position in the groove by means of pins 38 passing through these ring sections and the neck of the roll. This ring butts-up against the other side of the collar 35, and therefore, securely holds this collar in position against the shoulder 34. It also transfers thrust from the roll to the right, as viewed in Figs. 4 and 5, to the collar, which in turn transmits itto the ends of the bearings 26 which are held against longitudinal movement by the flanges 28 engag ing the outer edges of the upright blocks 23. The thrust from the roll in the opposite direction or to the left` as viewed in Figs. 4 and 5, will be transmitted through the collar 35 through the shoulder 34. This thrust is transmitted by this collar directly to the hub 39 of the large driving gear 40 as the hub of this gear is set up against the outer surface of this collar. This hub is mounted to turn in the bearing 41 mounted in the bracket 42. The bearing 41 may be lined with suitable babbitt 43 or other suitable non-ferrous bearing metal, and the hub 39 has a flange 44 which lbears against the inner end of the bearing and transmits the outward thrust from the collar ,35 to the bearing which in turn transmits it to the bracket 42 through the flange 45. It will, therefore, be apparent that they collar 35 through its associated elements transmits the lateral thrustfrom the roll in either direction to suitable stationary 'righth'and of Figs. 1 and 4.

The hub 39 of the `large gears carries at its outer end a block 47 having a square opening to receive a square end of a spindle 48 which at its opposite' end is square and is coupled through a -coupl'ing49 to the square or wobbler end 50 of the roll neck, and through this connection the roll is driven from the gear.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the bearings 26 and 27 are free lto move vertically as the work rolls are adjusted for different thicknesses of material and to accommodate different diametersof rolls. It will also be obvious for best results the main driving gears 40 and 46 should be adjustable vertically so as to maintain their axes in substantial alignment with the axes of the rollsv For this purpose the brackets 42 carrying the bearings for these gears are secured to the housing so that they may be vertically adjusted. On the outside of each housing is a pair of aligned lugs 51 and 52 through which are passed the pivot bolts 53. The upper portion of this bolt is somewhat enlarged and threaded as shown at 54, to receivea nut 55. The bracket 42 is provided with a pair of bearing lugs '56 and 57. The upper bearing' is recessed, as Shown at 58, to receive this enlargement of the bolt while the lower bearing is recessed on the under side as shown at 59, to receive the threaded sleeve 60 which seats in a recess in the top of the lug 52. Threaded on this sleeve is an adjusting nut 6l, and between this nut and the lower end of the bearing 57 is an end thrust ball bearing 62. It will thus be apparent that by loosening the upper nut 55 the bracket may be adjusted up or down b v turning the nut 61, and then the upper nut may be tightened. The ball thrust bearing 4allows free swinging movements of. the

bracket 42 in and out. The free end of this bracket when in working position is secured to the housing by a block 63 through a clamping bolt 64 adapted to move vertically in a slot G5v in the housing and cooperating with the fork GG on the bracket to clamp it to the housing.

The 4rolls in the construction shown are driven from a common shaft 67 mounted in the base or bed 10. This shaft is driven through gears 68 from-a shaft 69 driven by the motor 70,'. and the clutch 71 is usedrto cause driving gear 68 and the shaft 67 or to release this driving connection. The left'hand gear 40 ofthe l'ower roll is driven Jfrom a pinion 72 on the shaft 67 through an idler 73. `As the gear 4() is adjusted up and down to accommodate diierent sizes of rolls, the idler 7 3 is adjustableA so that it may be moved to be always properly maintained in mesh with this gear. For this purposethis idler is'mounted in a swinging yoke 74 which is mounted to swing about the axis of the shaft 67, so that as the gear 40 i-s moved up or down this idler can be swu-ng out or in to lower or raise its is driven from a pinion 78 on the shaft 67 with the gear 46 as through two idlers 79 and 80. The idler 79 meshes with the Vpinion idler 80 vmeshes with the idler 7 9 and the gearv 46. To always maintain this idler in mesh the gear is adjustedup and down this idler. is mounted in a similar yoke 81 mountedto swing about the axis 82 of idler 79, and it has an arm 83 with a curved slot 84 and the clamping bolt 85 to secure it in adjusted positions. the same as the yoke 74. V Havingthus set forth the nature ofmy invention, what I claim is: ,Y

1. In a rolling mill, .a housing, a workroll having abearing neck, a bearing for said Aneck mounted in the Ahousing and held against longitudinal movement, a collar on the neck outside the housing secured against` longitudinal movement thereon and engaging one end of the bearing,

means supported outside-the housingfengaging the opposite side of the collar from the bearingtoprevent movement of the roll in the vopposite direction, and means for driving the roll. y Y

2. In a rolling mill, a housing, aroll having a neck, a bearing for the neck inthe housing held against movement longitudinally of the roll iii one direction, mea'nshforvdriv- -ing the roll having a bearing outside the housing, means to prevent movement of the lat-A ter bearing longitudinally of the roll in the opposite direction rom the direction against which the first bearing is held, a collar be` tween saidbearings and'held thereby against' lateral movements, andv means- -to secure the collar to the roll neck to prevent relativeloiigitudinal movement of the roll in the collar.

3. In a rolling mill, a housing, a roll having. a bearing neck, bearings for said neck mounted in the housing, coactingmeans 011 connection between the drivenl the bearings and the housing lto prevent the bearings moving longitudinally toward the roll, a collar 1secured against longitudinal movement on the roll neck and engaging one I end of the bearings, a driving means for the roll outside the housing including a bearing engaging the opposite side of the collar, and

means to prevent longitudinal movement oi the latter bearing away from the roll.

I4. In a rolling mill', an upright housing having an opening therethrough, a work roll having a bearing neck in said housing, bearings for the neck in the housing, coacting means on the vhousing and theibearings to prevent movement of the bearing longitudinally toward the roll, a shoulder on the roll neck, a collar engaging the ends of the bearings and said shoulder, said neck also having a groove spaced from the shoulder, a ring in the groove and engaging the collarl on the opposite sides thereof, said ring and shoulder acting to prevent longitudinal movement. of the roll in the collar, and an abutment for the collar on the opposite side fromthe'bearings.

5. In a' rolling mill, a work roll having a bearing neck, a collar onA said neck, means to prevent movement of the collar longitiidi-- nally of the neck ineither direction, a stationary abutment for one side of the collar mounted `inthe housing, a support mounted outside .the housing,"and a stationary abut# ment for the opposite side ofthe collar carried by said support.- .i

6. vIn a rolling mill, a work roll having a shoulder and a groove spaced from the shoul der, a ring secured in thefgroove, a collar secured between the ring' and the shoulder, and stationary'abutmentsfor'the collar on opposite sides thereof.

7. Ina rolling mill a work roll having a shoulder and a groove spaced from the shoulder, -a ringsecured in the groove comprising a plurality of sections, pins in the ring and roll to secure the 'ring'sections in thev groove, a collar secured against the shoulder bfy the ring and held against `longitudinal movement on the roll by said'ring and shoulder, and stationary abutments .for

the collar on opposite sides thereof.

'8. In a rolling mill, afpair of upright housings, a pair "of work rolls located one above the otherand having bearing necks, bearings for the necks in the housings held against `lateral movement toward the rolls, a bracket securedvto each housing, a drivi'nggear for each roll mounted one in each bracket and having'a-bearing therein lheld against lateral movementaway fromthe rolls, a` collar on each roll engaging said bearings. on 'its opposite sides,'a nd means to secure'the collars against longitudinal movement on theirv re,-

spective rolls in either direction.

9. In a rolling mill, an upright-housing, a work roll havmg a bearing neck, bearings for said neck in the housing, means to hold said bearings against movement toward the roll,

a Abracket secured to the housing, a driving gear for the roll having a bearing inthe bracket held against* movement away from the housing, a collar on the roll neck 'between said bearings, means tov secure the collar to the roll neck to prevent longitudinal movement ot the roll in the collar, and a driving connection for the gear to the roll.

10. In a. rolling mill, a pair of upright housings, a working roll, bearings for said roll mounted for vertical movement in the housings, a bracket, a driving meansfor the roll having a hearing in the bracket, amount-A ing for'the bracketl to secure it to the housing Vand arranged to permit movement of the bracket toward and from the housing, and means for vertically adjusting the bracket. ,11. In a rolling mill, a pair of upright housings, a Working roll, bearings for said roll m lnted for vertical movement in the housings,` a bracket, an upright `pivot bolt to pivot the bracket to the housin means on said bolt for adjusting the brac vet up and down, a"-driving gear carried by the bracket, and a driving connection from said gear to the roll.

12. In a rolling mill, a pair of upright housings, a work roll between the housings, bearings for said roll mounted for vertical movementsl in the housings, vertically spaced lugs on one of the housings, a bracket, a bolt mounted in and extending between said lugs and forming a pivotal support for the bracket, an adjusting nut carried by the -bolt to adjust the bracket vertically, a driving gear carried by said bracket and having a bearing therein, and a. driving connection from said gear to the roll. A

13. In a rolling mill, aA pair of upright housings,'a work roll between the housings. bearings for 'said roll mounted for vertical movements in the housings, a driving gear for the roll, a driving connection fromthe gear to the roll, a support for the gear, means for mounting said support for' vertical adjustment, a drive shaft, a driving gear on said shaft, an idler gear meshing with said driving gears, a supporting yoke for said idler gear mounted to swing about said shaft as a pivot so that the idler may be kept in mesh with the gears after adjustment, and means for securing the yoke in adjusted positions.

14. In\a rolling mill, a pair of upright housings, a work roll between the housings,

l bearings for said roll mounted for vertical movements in the housings, a bracket secured/ to one of the housings for vertical adjustment, adriving gear mounted in said bracket, a driving connection from the gear to the roll, a driving pinion, an idler gear meshing with said driving gear and said pinion, a yoke in which the idler gear is mounted, said voke having a bearing neck, bearings for said neck mounted for vertical adjustment in the housing, coacting means on the bearings and the housing to prevent the bearings moving longitudinally toward the roll, a collar mounted on the roll neck outside the housing and secured against longitudinal movement thereon, said collar engaging one end of the bearings, a driving means for the roll mounted outside the housing including a bearing engaging the opposite side of the collar, and means to prevent longitudinal movement of the latter bearing away from the roll.

16. In a rolling mill, a pair of spaced housings, a pair of work rolls arranged one above the other and having necks at their opposite ends, bearings for said necks in the housings, means for driving one of said rolls from onev end, means for driving the other roll from the opposite end, a collar secured against longitu inal movement on a neck of one roll, a collar secured against longitudinal, movement on the opposite neck of the other roll, and means cooperating-With saidv 

